Location Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Geographic coordinates 39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references Europe

Area
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
water: 440 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline 1,793 km

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Terrain mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble, arable land, hydropower

Land use
arable land: 22%
permanent crops: 8%
other: 70% (1999 est.)

Irrigated land 6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

NOTE: The information regarding Portugal on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Portugal Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Portugal Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.